Townhouse Hotel

We only stayed one night, but had a blast. Towels were provided, and the beach voucher covered an umbrella and lounge chairs. There’s also drink service on the beach, though you pay for that. If you’re coming to Miami for the beach and restaurants, this hotel is convenient for both.

The location has some charm, with its art deco style, and the staff were friendly, though at times they came across as if they had to be right. But the place needs a lot of work, and it wasn’t worth what we paid. Our room looked as if only the beds had been remade, not properly cleaned. There were stains on the headboards and pillows, spills by the windows, and two small towels left in front of the wet shower. My wife cut her hand when a bracket fell off the dirty shelf as she tried to open the mini fridge. The remote was broken and fell apart, and the TV didn’t work. When we asked about it, staff showed us a photo of the TV on, so we spent the evening on our phones. At least the Wi-Fi worked. Parking was a headache. There’s no parking at the hotel, and spaces nearby cost $15 or more if you can find one. The two check-in spots were occupied whenever we looked. The boat show may have made that worse that weekend. The lobby was tiny, the guest shop had random hours with no notice posted, and the elevator barely fit three or four people. They also charged $3 per K-cup, plus resort fees and a deposit.

Townhouse Hotel is a good value, especially compared with the luxury places nearby. Its spot on Miami Beach, between the Shelborne and Setai, is excellent, and it works well for a stay of a few nights. The resort fee includes beach access, chairs, umbrellas, and towels, which is a nice amenity for the price. The AC worked well, the room and bathroom were clean, and the staff were generally friendly. They also let us check in an hour early and check out late. The Lavazza coffee pods cost $3 each, so you may want to go out for coffee. There was construction next door, but we barely noticed it in the room. I was surprised by the low rating and found this place to be a hidden gem on Collins Ave.

For the price, it’s a good hotel, with a clean room and a nice bed. The main snag was check-in: the front desk computer was slow and kept losing its internet connection, so it took over an hour. The staff member helping us did her best despite the long line and was excellent under pressure. They need a more reliable system and more people at the desk.